Kwadwo Amoateng speaking at the press briefing
Trader’s Advocacy Group Ghana (TAGG) has expressed its disappointment at what it describes as failure of the two main political parties in Ghana to address the concerns of traders in their respective manifestoes.
According to the group, both the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have missed a fine opportunity to win the support of members of the group whose contributions have over the years been significant to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra, the President of the group, Kwadwo Amoateng, said many traders were beginning to question the level of priority political parties attach to the concerns of Ghanaian traders which include rental challenges, lack of access to credit facilities and the invasion of the country retail sector by foreigners.
He noted that while the NPP attempted to address rental issues through the proposed National Rental Assistance Scheme (NRAS), the scheme had failed to include citizens in the informal sector.
“Today, a trader has to pay money ranging from GH¢80,000 to GH¢250,000 every five years just to secure a shop/store popularly known as ‘GOODWILL’ which excludes monthly rent charges. Some of these landlords and landladies go to the extent of charging in dollars,” he said.
The group has called on government not to compromise on changing existing trade laws to suit other countries as that would amount to undermining the sovereignty of an independent state.
“We find the proposal made to government by the Speaker of House of Representatives of Nigeria during his recent visit to the country that the GIPC (Act 865) should be reviewed to enable foreign nationals to engage in retail trade, which has been reserved for only Ghanaians, displeasing and unethical,” Mr. Amoateng pointed out.
He further called on government to pass legislations that would further protect the retail sector which provides employment to over one million Ghanaians.
These legislations, he said, should regulate the renting of stores/shops to prevent owners from exploiting traders.
“The same (LI) should help prevent the invasion of foreign nationals who have taken advantage of our weak existing trade laws from retail trade by preventing them from securing stores/shops in the country,” he added.
By Issah Mohammed